Both of the City of Decatur's hs teams are in the final 4

[Ranger12 46]

That would be so cool if both of the city's high schools could be state basketball champs in the same year. With Decatur moving down to 5A this year, it sure helped them out. I am sure this has happened before in some of the bigger cities like B'ham, but for a city the size of Decatur to have a chance for two state champs in the same sport in the same year would be pretty dang cool. Add the fact that Harselle girls made it to the 5A final four, Morgan County has a chance to have 3 state champs in basketball.

TM, maybe one day you will get a chance to call some of these Final Four games.

Link

2 Decatur teams in state basketball finals

Austin qualifies in triple-overtime thriller; first time both teams have been in championships since 1969

By Mark Edwards

medwards@decaturdaily.com · 340-2461

HANCEVILLE — Maybe this year, they’ll get Austin High’s nickname right in the program.

When the school’s boys basketball team advanced to the state Class 6A Final Four in Birmingham last year, the game program featured a picture of each team that made it. Underneath the Austin picture, the team was listed as the “Austin Senators,” which is the nickname of Sparkman, a chief rival of the Black Bears.

Surely that couldn’t happen again to a team from a city that rules boys high school basketball at the moment.

Austin won the Class 6A Northwest Regional with an 82-79 triple-overtime win over Thompson on Saturday to make next week’s Final Four again. The Black Bears will join Decatur High’s boys team, which earned a spot in the 5A Final Four with a regional win Friday.

“Now that we’ve got both teams from Decatur there, we both need to win a state championship,” Austin High senior standout Jay Sears said. “We talked about that this summer.

“We’re all friends with each other, and we would be in the gym shooting and talking about how they’re 5A and we’re 6A, we both need to get to Birmingham and win state championships.”

Austin will face defending 6A champion Jeff Davis on Thursday at 10:30 a.m. at the Birmingham-Jefferson Civic Center, while Decatur will meet John Carroll on Friday at 10:30 a.m.

In most years, Austin and Decatur have played in the same region in the same classification, and only one would have the opportunity to advance this far. But the state’s high school association moved Decatur from 6A to 5A this year, while Austin remained in 6A, giving them a path clear of each other.

“Both teams are truly pulling for each other,” Austin coach Demond Garth said. “It’s not fake. Since they’re in 5A and we’re in 6A, we root for each other.

“When we were in the same classification, it was hard to root for another team like that, but now it’s different.”

Both schools made it this far in 1969 when Austin won the 3A state championship and Decatur made it to the 4A semifinals before falling to eventual state champ Parker.

Several Decatur High team members attended Austin’s game Saturday. Head coach Jamie Lee watched much of the game with former Decatur boys coach Wallace Sanders, a regional tournament committee member. Decatur players Jarodiaus Willingham, Richard Tapscott and Rolando McClain watched from courtside seats.

“With both teams going, I think this is a testament to our rec centers in Decatur that give kids a chance to develop and a chance to play,” Lee said. “Rec centers are big in Decatur, and because of them, our kids always have a place to play. It’s also a testament to the tradition of the programs at Austin and Decatur.”

Lee added that the two teams’ success also speaks to the talent of their seniors. Decatur starts five 12th-graders (Willingham, Tapscott, Gary “G” Redus, Drei Marthaler and Rico Pickett) and brings five more off the bench, while Austin starts two (Sears and Travis Cohn) and has one who plays as a reserve.

“It’s amazing how good these players are,” Lee said.

Morgan County will send three teams to the Final Four. In addition to the boys squads from Decatur and Austin, Hartselle’s girls squad made the 5A Final Four.

The last time the county sent that many teams happened in 2001. Decatur’s boys, Decatur’s girls, Hartselle’s boys and Decatur Heritage’s boys made up their own Morgan Four at the Final Four. None brought home a state championship.

[AUslug 1]

Good job for Austin and Decatur, just shows you that North Alabama is where the basketball is at. I'm not too happy about the Black Bears going because they beat my alma mater Hazel Green along the way to get to B'ham.

[Ranger12 46]

Good job for Austin and Decatur, just shows you that North Alabama is where the basketball is at. I'm not too happy about the Black Bears going because they beat my alma mater Hazel Green along the way to get to B'ham.

I went to Danville and played under Wayne Bowling. We were pretty consistent for years, but since he retired a few years ago, the program has only had one decent season. I bring that up because Austin and Decatur would never schedule us because we were a small school and they had nothing to gain...in other words they knew we were one small school that was capable of beating them. The last time Decatur participated in the Morgan County tournament, Danville had beat then in the finals.

Decatur Heritage has developed a strong program very quickly. I am friends with their coach, Tommy Kyle. It took alot of persuading for him to talk the school administration to take them out of the private school league and into the AHSAA, but he made good on his promise to make them competitive. Do not be surprised in a few years if you hear him coaching at a bigger school.

[AUslug 1]

Does Morgan County still have a county tournament? Madison County got rid of theirs a few years ago because of New Hope and Madison County complaining they never had a shot because they were the small schools. Sparkman didn't want to play anymore because they were arrogant enough to think they deserved to win it every year. I wish that the Sports Commission would have a Metro Tourney early in the year and have all the teams in Madsion County play, have big and small school dvisions. That won't happen because schools play in so many other tournaments.

[Guest Tigrinum Major]

TM, maybe one day you will get a chance to call some of these Final Four games.

Not this year. I am working the preliminary rounds on Tuesday and Wednesday, which is 1A through 4A. The way they break up the officials that work the state tourney, I will not get a chance to work these games, but I'll have a free pass to get in to watch. Needless to say, I am not planning on working this week after tomorrow.

[Ranger12 46]

Does Morgan County still have a county tournament? Madison County got rid of theirs a few years ago because of New Hope and Madison County complaining they never had a shot because they were the small schools. Sparkman didn't want to play anymore because they were arrogant enough to think they deserved to win it every year. I wish that the Sports Commission would have a Metro Tourney early in the year and have all the teams in Madsion County play, have big and small school dvisions. That won't happen because schools play in so many other tournaments.

Yeah, there is still a Morgan County Tournament. Hartselle is the only city school still in it since Decatur and Austin pulled out. Austin was in it when I was in school, but they pulled out my senior year. Now it is Hartselle and the county schools (Danville, West Morgan, Priceville, Falkville, and Brewer). Still six schools is still a good number. If Hartselle ever pulls out you still have the five county schools, so it will probably go nowhere anytime soon.

I think they quit having the Morgan County baseball tournament. When I was in school, all the city and county schools did participate in that. I think they canceled it because it was usually held during the first round of state playoffs.

TM, if you are reffing those 1A-4A games on Tuesday and Wednesday, you are calling in the Final Four bro! That is not what I would call preliminary rounds bro, those are very, very important semi-final games! You are being too humble.

[sullivan2beasley88 0]

Good job for Austin and Decatur, just shows you that North Alabama is where the basketball is at. I'm not too happy about the Black Bears going because they beat my alma mater Hazel Green along the way to get to B'ham.

I went to Danville and played under Wayne Bowling. We were pretty consistent for years, but since he retired a few years ago, the program has only had one decent season. I bring that up because Austin and Decatur would never schedule us because we were a small school and they had nothing to gain...in other words they knew we were one small school that was capable of beating them. The last time Decatur participated in the Morgan County tournament, Danville had beat then in the finals.

Decatur Heritage has developed a strong program very quickly. I am friends with their coach, Tommy Kyle. It took alot of persuading for him to talk the school administration to take them out of the private school league and into the AHSAA, but he made good on his promise to make them competitive. Do not be surprised in a few years if you hear him coaching at a bigger school.

As far as up another up-and-coming coach..how bout Austin's Head Coach Demond Garth leading Austin to his 2nd Final Four in his first two years...he's a young(30ish) coach with a bright future. I was coached by Coach Kyle in basketball camps growing up and i totally agree with you

And not to mention former Austin coach Stuart Allen will also be leading a Madison County team that has never had a winning record to the 4A final four in his first year there..great coach..sad he got run off by the Austin Administration 2 years ago

O and a name everyone probably knows..Juwan Simpson(Garth when i knew him) former Austin player and Mr Basketball Candidate in 2002 when Austin got cheated out of a State Championship

As far as Decatur, I hear that Rico Pickett(sp?) is phenomenal

Anyways, Go Austin, Go Decatur, Go Madison County

P.S. First time poster

[Tiger in Spain 0]

Welcome to the board, sullivan2beasley88.